News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has several Sulphur fire area cats who can still be reclaimed this week, as well as other felines needing new homes.

The Sulphur fire cats are in the last week of a 30-day holding period to allow them to be reclaimed before they are to be put up for adoption to the general public.

Those felines from the Sulphur fire area are listed at the top, with the general population cats below them.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

SULPHUR FIRE CATS

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat was found on Mira Vista Lane in Clearlake on Oct. 12.

He has a black and white coat and gold eyes.

He’s in clinic kennel No. 295, ID No. 8729.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat was found on Mira Vista Lane in Clearlake on Oct. 12.

He has a black coat and gold eyes.

He’s in kennel No. 153, ID No. 8727.

Female domestic short hair

This young female domestic short hair cat was found in Clearlake on Oct. 12.

She has a gray coat and green eyes. She has not been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 147, ID No. 8732.

Female domestic short hair

This young female domestic short hair cat was found in Clearlake on Oct. 13.

She has a torbie coat and gold eyes. She has not been altered.

She’s in kennel No. 99, ID No. 8739.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat was found on Mira Vista Lane in Clearlake on Oct. 12.

He has a black coat and gold eyes.

He’s in kennel No. 94, ID No. 8728.

Female domestic short hair

This adult female domestic short hair was found in Clearlake Oaks on Oct. 13.

She has a brown tabby coat and gold eyes.

She is in kennel No. 88, ID No. 8742.

GENERAL POPULATION

‘Simba’

“Simba” is a young male gray tabby with a short coat and green eyes.

He is in kennel No. 53, ID No. 8777.

Domestic short hair

This domestic short hair cat of undetermined gender has a short black coat and gold eyes.

The cat is in kennel No. 117, ID No. 8805.

Male domestic short hair

This adult male domestic short hair has a brown tabby coat with white markings and green eyes.

He already has been altered.

He’s in kennel No. 132, ID No 8781.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County property owners who had residences and other structures destroyed by the Sulphur fire are able to benefit from a government program to remove the fire debris at no out-of-pocket cost.

This program will ensure that properties are cleaned of any hazardous waste and debris in a timely manner.

However, the state of California’s Office of Emergency Services has set the deadline to sign up for the program by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13.

Property owners can sign up for the program by submitting a right-of-entry, or ROE, form to the Lake County Environmental Health Department or at Clearlake City Hall.

By submitting the ROE, residential property owners are granting permission for contractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clean their property of fire-related debris. Property owners who participate in the program are only liable for the cost of clean up to the debris cleanup limits allowed by their insurance policy.

Property owners without insurance will not have to pay at all.

Property owners have the option of having the debris removed by their own contractors and paying for debris removal themselves, but not removing the debris is not a legal option. Opting to hire a private contractor requires the completion and submission of the private cleanup application.

The debris must be removed in a timely manner before hazardous materials begin to run off into the lake with the winter storms.

The work must be done to standards established in ordinances and regulations so that health and safety risks are adequately addressed for the community and the environment.

Property owners who fail to clean up their properties will be subject to nuisance abatement proceedings.

Right-of-entry forms are available online at the California Wildfires Statewide Recovers Resources Web site at http://wildfirerecovery.org/debris-removal/right-of-entry/ or at the Lake County Public Health Sulphur Fire webpage located at http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Sulphur_Fire.htm .

With the CalOES mandated deadline of Nov. 13, there is a limited amount of time left to submit a right-of-entry in order to allow this program to clear your fire damaged property.

Local officials urge impacted property owners to discuss this option with their insurance company and decide quickly so they can submit the ROE form before the deadline.

Contractors are currently in the Sulphur fire area applying a product called Posi-Shell to help reduce erosion of fire-impacted properties that could lead to possible contamination of the lake.

The product is spray-on slurry that hardens to a consistency like an egg carton. It is made of finely ground clay, reinforcing fiber, water and Portland cement. Posi-Shell is nontoxic and will be removed with the debris.

The Clearlake City Council will be discussing ROEs, fire debris management and cleanup deadlines during its next meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, during a Sulphur fire update agenda item.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – All this month, the Lakeport Police Department and Lakeport Police Officers Association are taking part in an effort to raise awareness – and funds – in the fight against cancer.

Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said department and association members are participating in the “No Shave November” campaign, which will help raise funds for their partner organization in the effort, Sponsoring Survivorship.

The goal of “No Shave November” is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.

The officers invite community members to join them in not shaving or cutting hair to support the cause.

They encourage participants to donate the money they would typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives and aid those fighting the battle. Both women and men can participate.

Officers and the association also will be donating money to the effort.

Rasmussen said 100-percent of the funds raised in his department’s “No Shave November” campaign will go to Sponsoring Survivorship in Lake County.

Sponsoring Survivorship was established in Lake County to help local women and men cover costs associated with their struggle against breast cancer.

Donations can be made by dropping off checks – made to Sponsoring Survivorship – or cash for “No Shave November” to any LPD Officer, Sponsoring Survivorship Coordinator Shirley Crawford at 707-279-1364, or to Umpqua Bank in Lakeport under the account 4865588257.

Sponsoring Survivorship is a nonprofit organization with federal tax ID #45-3321877. Donation receipts are available.

Questions can be sent by private message to the Lakeport Police Department Facebook page, by email to LPOA President Tyler Trouette at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or to Chief Rasmussen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake Ministerial Association intends to operate its warming center for the homeless for the third year, and the group is hosting a community meeting this week to share information about its plans.

The association said the center will open on Monday, Dec. 4, and will again be based at the Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1111 Park Way.

Organizers will hold an open house on Monday, Nov. 6, starting at 6 p.m. at the church.

They encourage neighbors, elected officials, community members and any other interested parties to attend.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions, learn more about the program and sign up to volunteer.

The center will be open five days a week – Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. – and is limited to 24 guests per night.

All guests go through an intake process and must arrive no later than 8 p.m.

The best practice is to check in at the bus stop at the old Natural High School, opposite St. Mary’s, in Lakeport.

The last night for this winter season will be March 30, 2018.

The center is operating under a major use permit approved by the county of Lake. The fiscal sponsor is Kelseyville United Methodist Church.

Community members will be offered a safe, warm place to sleep, along with dinner and breakfast, hot showers and laundry assistance. Pets are welcome but must stay in a designated area outside the building.

Additional services include assistance with obtaining valid IDs, computer and WiFi access for job training and housing searches, and family reunification mediation.

The warming center is part of a coordinated group of solution providers in the county who are working to improve the lives of the most vulnerable citizens.

Center volunteers build trust with homeless neighbors and introduce them to service providers who want to help but often don’t know where to begin.

An assistant manager and a security guard will be on site during open hours. Additional positions including meal preparers and servers, overnight sleepers, intake personnel, laundry and shower assistants are filled by community volunteers.

Many community groups choose to provide dinner or “to-go” breakfasts or fill volunteer positions one night a week.

Volunteers report that they have their hearts opened and now see the homeless in an entirely new light – as neighbors.

Last year, the center served 101 homeless individuals and, after the floods, served an additional 100 evacuated individuals, including many families. On an average night, 24 individuals were served.

Last year’s warming center guests have lived locally a combined total of 1,038 years and seven months for an average amount of 11 years living in the county. The only reason the average is not higher is because several of the youngest have lived here their entire lives which consisted of only five to six months so far.

Thirteen percent of the guests last year were veterans.

Nine of the homeless persons sheltered last winter were under the age of 18, but during the floods, this number increased to 39 children needing shelter. Nineteen of the guests at the warming center were over the age of 59.

Center organizers also reported that two guests died on weekends when the center was closed.

Every night the center was open there was a minimum of six volunteers. Some nights there were significantly more. People from all over the community willingly give of themselves to make this center a success.

There were 62 registered volunteers; 39 of those volunteers represented 11 different church and community organizations and at least three county workers. Twenty-three of them were unaffiliated, warm-hearted people from the community at large.

The center helped three guests find regular employment, and created four jobs – two full-time and two part-time; reunited two families; helped others get valid identification; and connected all guests to medical services as needed.

For the upcoming season, donations are needed to open the shelter and keep it open through March 2018.

Checks may be made payable to Kelseyville United Methodist Church and sent to P.O. Box 446, Kelseyville, CA 95451. Please write Warming Center on the memo line.

A Go Fund Me Account is also available for donations at https://www.gofundme.com/lma-warming-shelterministry/donate.

In addition, sleeping bags and pillows are always in high demand and may be dropped off at the center beginning on Dec. 4.

For more information or to volunteer contact the center at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit its Facebook page at Lake Ministerial Association Warming Center.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. joined California’s two U.S. Senators and 39 members of the California congressional delegation to request $7.4 billion in federal funding for wildfire relief and recovery efforts in California.

Gov. Brown also expedited more than $40 million in state aid for immediate recovery efforts.

The letter from the governor and members of the state’s Congressional delegation, sent to the White House on Friday, urges the president and Congress to work quickly to adopt a third supplemental disaster-related appropriations bill to support the state as it recovers from October’s devastating wildfires that killed 43 people and destroyed approximately 8,900 residential and commercial structures.

This $7.4 billion in federal funding would flow to a variety of federal cleanup, recovery and assistance programs and support housing, transportation, agriculture, environmental protection, local health services, long-term recovery planning, reconstruction and small businesses.

Separately on Friday, Gov. Brown directed the California Department of Finance to expedite the allocation of $41.5 million in funding to help support immediate needs in impacted areas, including cleanup, hazardous waste removal and assistance for Californians impacted by the fires who are not eligible for federal aid.

Under the state appropriation, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will dedicate $35 million to debris removal and cleanup efforts, while the California Department of Toxic Substances Control will direct $1.5 million to support hazardous waste cleanup operations.

This funding will support debris removal and household hazardous waste cleanup at lots impacted by the fires. Household hazardous waste has already been removed from more than 3,000 lots and debris removal is starting across the impacted counties.

The appropriation also includes $5 million – managed by the California Department of Social Services – to aid wildfire victims who are not eligible to receive federal disaster assistance because of their immigration status.

The funds will help these individuals and families affected by the fires with food, housing, utility and other expenses.

During the wildfire disaster last month, Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency for the counties of Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Yuba, Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Nevada and Orange and secured a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to support the state and local response to the fires, within 24 hours of making the request.

Federal direct aid was also secured for residents of Napa, Sonoma, Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Yuba, Orange and Nevada counties who suffered losses due to the fires as well as Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits for workers in these counties who lost jobs or had work hours substantially reduced as a result of the fires.

Gov. Brown also issued an executive order to help cut red tape and streamline recovery efforts in impacted communities and on Oct. 28 declared a “Day of Remembrance of the Northern California Fires” in recognition of victims and first responders.

Additional information on California’s wildfire emergency response and recovery efforts is available at http://wildfirerecovery.org.

Jonathan Gudel is a public information officer for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

"Be awful nice to them going up, because you're gonna meet them all coming down." – Jimmy Durante

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – While taking in some of the interesting elements at our historic Lakeport Courthouse Museum, I happened upon an attention-grabbing display, entitled, "Our Star Legacy" which features some of the celebrities who have called Lake County their home, or at least their home-away-from-home at one time in the past.

Actor Jackie Gleason, who was adored by America in "The Jackie Gleason Show" in 1951, along with fellow actor Jack Haley of the classic 1939 movie, "The Wizard of Oz," where he played the Tin Man as well as the farm owner, were investment partners in Lake County.

Gleason and Haley formed a company in the 1960s, called the Kramden Investment Co., to invest in Lake Pillsbury properties.

Friends for decades, the pair performed in the 1941 movie, "Navy Blues."

Here in Lake County, the actors sidelined in acquiring residential and commercial properties. One piece they purchased was a ranch which was once owned by J.W. Fuller, the proprietor of the Fuller Paint Co.

The ranch was named The Lake Pillsbury Ranch and boasted, among other amenities, both an airstrip and a polo field. Then, they were able to fly their Hollywood pals from the Rat Pack into Lake County to enjoy the countryside.

Gleason starred in dozens of television shows, movies and several stage productions in his long career. Born in Brooklyn in 1916, he died in Florida of colon cancer in 1987 shortly after completing a movie with Tom Hanks, called "Nothing in Common.”

Jack Haley was born in 1897, and was a well-loved star of film, radio, stage as well as vaudeville.

Born in Boston to a Canadian sailor, John Joseph Haley Sr. and mother, Ellen Curley Haley, his father died at sea when Jack was just 6 months old. Jack died in 1979 of a heart attack, in Los Angeles leaving a legacy of dozens of features films behind.

Another of the personalities in Lake County's past include the singer Johnny Burnette, who drowned in Clear Lake in 1964 while fishing in a small craft.

His little boat, which was not lit, collided with a cabin cruiser and he was flung into the lake to his death.

The Aug. 12, 1964, headlines in the Ukiah Daily Journal read, "Singing Star Drowning Victim.”

Johnny Burnette and his brother, Dorsey Burnette, along with a guitarist named Paul Burlison starred in the group called "The Rock and Roll Trio" in the 1950s.

The group decided to split in 1957, when Johnny Burnette's career took off with a No. 8 on the music Billboard Hot 100 due to his hit, "You're Sixteen," among other hit songs.

Hot cha cha cha – would you believe actor/singer Jimmy Durante was a homeowner in Lake County in the 1950s, where he had a house on Sioux Avenue in Clearlake Highlands, now called Clearlake? Unfortunately, the house burned down years ago.

Durante was born in 1893 in New York City to parents who immigrated from Salerno, Italy.

His early career found him playing ragtime piano in a family act, then he played in the "Original New Orleans Jazz Band," where he was the only player who did not hail from New Orleans.

Durante, the self-proclaimed "schnozzola," starred or played parts in dozens of radio, TV shows and movies throughout his career, and also completed six record albums.

Durante died of pneumonia in 1980 in Santa Monica.

Tennessee Ernie Ford was born Ernest Jennings Ford in 1919.

The highly successful singer, who was noted for his gospel, western and pop music, once owned 500 acres of land in Long Valley here in Lake County. In 1956 he and his family raised Herefords on his ranch.

Ford may have been known most for his million-copies sold in less than a month of his recording, "Sixteen Tons," about life working in a coal mine. He was inducted into both the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Ford loved the resorts here in Lake County and playing golf.

He introduced his movie star buddies to life in Lake County. Ford especially loved golfing at Hoberg's, where he sang "Sixteen Tons.”

According to the information in the Courthouse Museum's display, “There are many stories of Ford's movie star friends like John Wayne, Edgar G. Robinson and others coming to visit the ranch. They would pile into an old military Jeep and drive to the resorts in Clearlake Highlands (now Clearlake) for dinner."

Ford died in 1991 of liver failure after an illustrious career of making more than 60 record albums and numerous singles.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also formerly wrote for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.